Harvey spencer



No. 62I,588. Patented Mar. 2|, I899. H. SPENCER, In. BLIND FASTENINGDEVICE.

(Application filed Jan. 3,1898.

(No Model.)

.of the ordinary and most approved form of ZNITED STATES PATENT rica.

HARVEY SPENCER, JR, OF NEWV YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO MARY LIVINGSTONSPENOERQ I BLIND-FASTENING DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 621,588, dated March21, 1899.

Application filed January 3, 1898.

T rtZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARVEY SPENCER, J12, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of New York, in the county of New York and State of NewYork, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement inBlind-Fastening Devices, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a new and useful device for fastening heavyshutters or blinds whether made of metal or other material, and it isadapted to be attached to or made part hinges for such structuresto wit,those having a bracket like stationary part comprising a base-plate andan outwardly-extendin g part or bracket with which the swinging memberof the hinge, fastened to the shutter or blind, engages by means of apivot-pin, the bracket of the stationary member of the hinge being inone horizontal plane and the swinging member, which is attached to theshutter or blind, being in a different horizontal plane located abovethat of the stationary part.

By my invention I avoid the necessity of having any appliances attachedto the side of the house or any defacement of the sill of the window. Ialso obviate the danger incident to leaning far out of the window tofasten and unfasten the blinds or shutters, and I so construct the partsthat the fastener has great control over the shutter or blind and holdsit rigidly and firmly when opened, so that high winds, even on highbuildings, will not derange or fracture any of theparts.

This invention is in line with that heretofore patented to me in and byUnited States Letters Patent No. 590,711, dated September 28, 1897. Thatinvention has proven of great value in the class of blinds and shuttersto which it is adapted; but in practice it has been found not strongenough to properly control the heavy and frequently large shutters usedupon the exceedingly-high buildings now prevailing in large cities. Thepressure of the wind impinging upon the extended. sides of suchbuildings and getting behind these shutters of large area creates sogreat a pressure upon them that the devices of my former patent aresometimes insufiicient to properly control them, because in that patentSerial No. 665,333. (No model.)

times the bracket of the hinge has been bent or pulled out from thebase-plate.

Under my present invention, as will be 1 hereinafter explained, theconstruction of the shutter-controllin g lever or arm has beenmaterially changed both in form and in method of operation. It is nowmade as a U-shaped arm, so that one prong or end of it may be fulcrumedto the bracket or to an auxiliary lug 011 the base-plate, or to both, aspreferred, and the otherarm or end when the device is in operativeposition takes a bearing upon the base-plate in such manner as tolargely relieve the bracket and lug of strain. The U shape of the armand the fact that its free end braces against the base-plate when inoperative position enables it to resist any strain to which it may besubjected. This present form of shutter-fastening device has been subjected by me to verysevere tests and has been found completelysatisfactory.

Referring to the drawings hereof, Figure 1 illustrates a perspective ofone form of my invention, it being that which I ordinarily employ inconjunction with iron shutters. Fig. 2 illustrates a plan view, partlyin section, of the fastener proper. Fig. 3 illustrates an elevation ofthat which is shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 4: illustrates a sectional view inplan of the stationary member of the hinge. Fig. 5 illustrates anedgewise or plan view of that which I call my angle-plate brace.

A is the window-casing; B, the windowsill; C, an ordinary metallicshutter; D, the upper hinge; E, the base-plate of the lower hinge; F,the bracket thereof; G, the hole for the pivot-pin; H, the strap ormovable part of the lower hinge.

I is the swinging U -shaped arm, which con stitutes the essentialfeature of the look. It is pivoted to a cross-bar or axis J, which whenmy invention is applied to shutters already set may be entered in a holeor socket bored general form of the letter U, as seen in Fig. 2, itsfree end being brought around, as

shown at I, (see Figs. 2 and 3,) and when in operative position abutsagainst the baseplate E, and on this end is pivoted a swinging latch N,which turns loosely upon the end V of the arm, so that when the arm isswung outwardly into its horizontal or operative position the latch Nwill drop by gravity or may be moved into the position shown in Figs. 1and 3, in which it will, by its engagement with the face of thebase-plate E, hold the arm I in its elevated or substantially horizontalposition, and when in this position the arm impinges against a portionof the shutter 0 which is preferably formed at a suitable angle to theplane of the shutter and may be braced by the rectangular part 0 of theangle-plate O. This brace-plate 0 (see Figs. 1 and 5) embodies a flatportion 0 and the angular portion 0 which may be set at such an angle asto permit the necessary pressure to be exerted upon it by the lockingarmirrespective of the angle at which the sh utter may lie relative to theside of the building. Several angles are illustrated in full and dottedlines in Fig. 5. This angle-plate, as I call it, is made of suchconformation as requisite to adapt it to be fastened upon theironshutter and is preferably riveted thereto, so as to make a firm solidsupport. I wish it understood, however, that the arm I may simply restagainst the rear edge of the shutter without the employment of eitherthe angle-plate O or a bent-up portion of the shutter. In many instancesthe results will be satisfactory without either of these features.

The operation of the device is obvious and does not require extendedexplanations excepting to say that the shutter or blind being thrownopen the arm is swung from its depending or vertical position into itsopera-.

tive or substantially horizontal position, and in so doing crowdsagainst the angle-plate O or bent part of the shutter or its rear edge,as the case may be, and that the arm is held in such operative positionby the latch N and is firmly supported against the strains that may comeupon the shutter by reason of its being held at one end by thepivot-pin'or axis, its other end abutting against the base-plate of thehinge.

It will be obvious to those who are familiar with this art thatmodifications may be made in the details of construction of the parts ofthe device without departing from the essentials thereof.

I claim-- 1. The combination of a shutter or blind, a hinge therefor, asubstantially U-shaped arm, one end whereof is pivoted to the baseplateof the hinge at one sideof the bracket, whereby it may be swung intooperative position, the other end being upon the opposite side of thebracket and arranged to rest against the base-plate of the hinge whenthe arm is in such operative position, and means to maintain the arm insaid position, for the purposes set forth.

2. The combination of a shutter or blind, a hinge therefor, asubstantially U-shaped arm, one end whereof is pivoted to the baseplateof the hinge and the other adapted to rest against said base-plate whenthe arm is in operative position, and a swinging latch permanentlyattached to said last-named end and arranged to engage with thebase-plate, whereby the arm as a whole is supported when in operativeposition, for the purposes set forth.

3. The combination of a shutter or blind, a hinge therefor, an armcomprising in its construction two rigidly-connected parts, one of whichis adapted to be pivoted to the baseplate of the hinge,whereby the armas a whole may be swung into operative position and the other end orpart adapted to rest against the base-plate of the hinge when the arm isin operative position; means to hold the arm in said position, and anangular brace-plate on the shutter or blind, against which the armpresses when in operative position,for the purposes set forth 4E. Thecombination with a hinge for shutters or blinds, embodying a base-plateand a bracket fastened to the base-plate, of a lug on the base-plateadjacent to the bracket, a pivot'pin or axis supported wholly orpartially by the lug, an arm pivoted upon said pivot-pin so that it maybe swung into operative position, a part of said arm being arranged toengage with the base-plate 011 the opposite side of the bracket when thearm is in operative position; and means for sustaining the arm in saidposition,for the purposes set forth.

5. A striker-plate for blind or shutter fastening devices, comprising abase portion adapted to be attached to the blind or shutter, and a plateor flange thereon adapted to be arranged at any desired angle relativethereto, for the purposes set forth.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York,this 30th day of December, A. D. 1897.

HARVEY SPENCER, JR.

Witnesses:

PHILLIPS ABBOTT, E. SIMPsoN.

ICC

